Majority Of NHS Junior Doctor Posts Filled In England - Vacancies Remain For Round Two, UK

Main Category: Public Health
Also Included In: Medical Students / Training
Article Date: 14 Jul 2007 - 1:00 PDT

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Figures announced by the Department of Health today show that 85 per cent of all junior doctor training posts in England have been filled, following the first round of recruitment which closed on Friday 22nd June.

Of a total of 15,600 training posts available in England, 13,168 have been accepted by junior doctors.

A second round of recruitment has commenced and will run until 31st October. There are 2,320 posts available to applicants within Round Two.

There will also be around 1,000 training posts made available at the end of this year's recruitment process to appointable junior doctors who do not secure a post in Rounds One or Two.

Health Minister Ann Keen said:

"The high fill-rate is good news for patients, the NHS and deaneries across the country and has been achieved despite this year's problems with implementing the national recruitment programme.

"We are working hard with the NHS on this second round of recruitment, and on the development of a package of support for those appointable applicants who have yet to find a post."

A package of support is being established for those appointable junior doctors who have not found the right posts following Round Two. It comprises:

- Around 1,000 extra one-year and GP training posts.

- Access to career information about future training options via local Deaneries. Applicants who are already in NHS Employment will also be able to access career support from their employer.

- A careers website for junior doctors to support their decision making when looking at future careers

- Educational grants will be made available so that appointable but unsuccessful applications who are in service posts can pursue their clinical education and improve their chances of successfully applying for specialty training next year.

1. Fill-rates for England only are attached. For information about Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland please contact the respective Devolved Administrations

2. In England there were 29,193 applicants for junior doctor training posts and a total of 15,600 vacancies within MTAS. 25,000 applicants are already working in the NHS.

3. Of the 29,193 England applicants, 13,600 were UK graduates. Of these, 9,336, almost 70 per cent, have accepted a post at the end of Round One.

4. The number of junior doctor training posts in the UK increased by 72 per cent between 1997 and 2007. The number of training posts has increased by 2,500 over the past year alone.

5. The-then Secretary of State for Health Patricia Hewitt announced a package of extra training posts and measures to support junior doctors in England this year in a statement to the House of Commons on 24th May.

http://www.dh.gov.uk

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